Also Known As: Zombies,
Walking Dead, Animated Dead, Walking Corpse, Brain Eaters, Fleshbags.
They are also sometimes called ghouls, though this usage is technically
incorrect. It is important to distinguish between the living dead and zombis or the re-animated (see “BMA Classification”). Description: Since
the living dead are corpses that have become animated, their appearance
varies considerably depending on what happened to the body after death.
Corpses that have not been embalmed or that are buried in a humid
environment will decompose quickly, for example, while corpses stored in
dry, arid areas are likely to be mummified. While it may be possible to
reanimate skeletal remains using magic, the spell would have to provide
some mechanism for forcing the bones to maintain a cohesive form. Since
it’s much easier to let tendons and ligaments serve this purpose,
animated skeletons typically indicate the involvement of non-human
forces or very powerful magic. BMA Classification: The
living dead are either mindless killing machines or under the control
of someone with a game plan that includes the step “bring corpses back
to life” (typically not considered a sign of stability), so they’re
definitely classified as Monsters by the Bureau of Monster Affairs.
However, there are two exceptions:

Zombis: People turned into zombis
using traditional Voudoun magic are the still-living victims of mind
control (often combined with some degree of brain damage caused by being
buried alive). As such, they should only be harmed if they are an
immediate threat to human life. Otherwise, M-Forcers should make every
effort to help them escape their servitude.

The
Re-Animated: This category of “undead” refers to people who have been
brought back to life using scientific or magical means that allow them
to retain their intelligence and memories from life. Despite the fact
that the re-animation process nearly always turns the formerly departed
into a twisted psychopath of some sort, the variety of re-animation
methods and the fact that the re-animated are seemingly intelligent
humans precludes their inclusion on the Official Monster List.

Powers: Since
the living dead are already deceased, they can’t really be killed, just
incapacitated. In most cases, this is achieved by destroying the
creature’s brain. Additionally, the condition is communicable in many
cases. Vulnerabilities: Although
there is a brief window during which the living dead can approximate
the movement of a living human, most move slowly and awkwardly,
initially due to rigor mortis and later due to the decomposition of the
body’s muscular system. Biology and Habitat: The
study of the living dead is full of pitfalls. Since they revert to
regular corpses when destroyed, they must be kept “alive,” which is
dangerous and in some cases requires a supply of human brains for
prolonged experimentation. The fact that the creature was once a living
person also brings up a number of moral and legal concerns for
researchers. Furthermore, the sheer number of ways in which the dead can
theoretically be animated makes it difficult apply findings to all
living dead with any real confidence. Corpses
animated using magic have no free will or self-preservation instinct
and are wholly subservient to whoever animated them. They have limited
intelligence and can follow only the simplest of instructions, but they
are unable to feel fear. Unlike most other zombies, those raised
magically have no biological needs and therefore do not hunger for
brains or flesh. Magically raised zombies also typically stop
decomposing while animated. In some cases, the body parts of magically
animated zombies continue to function (lashing out blindly) even after
the brain is destroyed. Zombies
animated through non-magical means vary greatly depending on the
animating agent. Known or suspected animating agents include nuclear and
cosmic radiation, chemical waste products, and a rare (and possibly
human engineered) virus. The following general rules seem to apply to
corpses animated by non-magical means:

The
living dead who are animated through non-magical means continue to
decompose when animated. The rate of decomposition varies with
environmental factors as it would for a non-animated corpse.

Although
they apparently do not retain any memories or even basic animal
instincts from life, but they are capable of learning from experience or
example. For instance, a zombie will not fear fire until it is burned
or witnesses another zombie reacting to being burned. Some zombies are
also capable of simple tool use--for instance, using a rock to bash in a
window.

While
the living dead do have (or, more accurately, learn) some
self-preservation instincts, their insatiable hunger and limited
intelligence often trumps their desire to stay alive.

While
popular culture depicts the living dead as brain-eaters, in reality
only a small percentage of zombies hunger specifically for brains. While
nearly all zombies have an insatiable appetite, the vast majority will
eat whatever flesh they can get. Zombies who only eat brains typically
consume only human brain matter, ignoring the brains of other animals.

Researchers
have found that while most of a zombie’s biological systems shut down,
its brain and nervous system continues to function on some level. This
may explain why the creatures only stop moving when the brain is
destroyed.

In
many cases, the bite of the living dead can pass the condition along to
the victim. Some forms of the virus only affect those who are unlucky
enough to die while the toxin is in their system. In other cases, the
toxin actually kills the victim and then re-animates them.

Sightings: The
living dead have been reported throughout history and are still
unacceptably common today. A selection of confirmed cases from the Quinn
Library files include:

1877:
According to Jake “Six-Gun” Sawyer’s journal, The Six Gun Seven arrived
in Buzzard’s Breath, New Mexico in early September to find the whole
town overrun by the living dead. By the time the living dead were
destroyed, only about 40 uninfected townspeople remained. The cause of
the outbreak was never discovered, but based on Sawyer’s descriptions
most researchers have ruled out magic and the animating agent.

1944:
The only survivor of an American bomber crew operating in the Pacific
theater claims that crew members killed in a particularly vicious air
battle were re-animated following a strange explosion of green light.
After crash-landing the plane on a small island, the pilot encountered
more of the living dead.

1985:
A New England scientist creates a chemical that can bring the dead back
to life, but once revived the subjects become violent and murderous.

1985:
Louisville, Kentucky suffers the largest zombie outbreak on record. The
destruction was so wide-ranging that federal authorities seriously
considered destroying the city with an air strike, but Dr. Henry Field
directly intervened to prevent such extreme measures from being taken.
It is generally agreed that the dead were animated by a chemical or
biological agent en route to the Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond,
Kentucky, but federal authorities prevented M-Force from performing any
tests on the corpses.

1987: Chemical waste results in an outbreak of living dead activity in rural Maryland.

1994: The Lime Mill, Kentucky office of M-Force reports a minor battle with zombies raised by an evil sorcerer.

2004:
The still relatively new M-Force organization in Great Britain is
called upon to deal with an outbreak of the living dead in London. The
re-animation is caused by a viral agent of some sort, but it’s origin is
never discovered.

2008:
A Georgia high school prom is attacked by the living dead. Industrial
waste from a plant near the town cemetery seems to be the animating
agent.

2008:
A viral outbreak (possibly the result of a military experiment gone
wrong) results in living dead activity centered around a strip club in
southern California.

Additional Information:
The recent cultural phenomenon of “Zombie Walks” are rife with
potential for tragedy. M-Force offices are strongly encouraged to stay
informed of such events, but not to discount reports of zombie activity
simply because such an event has been scheduled. Magically Animated Living DeadBody: 15Brain: 3Nerve: 0 Job: Mindless Slave (13)Gimmick: Fearless (20); Hard To Kill (12)--If
a magically animated zombie is reduced to zero HP, make a Gimmick roll.
If the Gimmick succeeds, the zombie remains alive. Each time a zombie
with zero HP takes damage, it must make another Gimmick roll. If the
roll succeeds, the zombie lives on but the damage from the attack is
applied to its Body Number. When the Zombie’s Body Number reaches zero,
the zombie is sufficiently dismembered that it no longer presents a
threat. Weakness: NoneSkills: NoneArmor Rating: 0Damage Bonus: +1 (claws)HP: 15Yum Yums: 0Non-Magical Living DeadBody: 11Brain: 6Nerve: 12Job: Animated Corpse (12)Gimmick: Hard To Kill (12) --See AboveWeakness: Hunger (15)--When
a zombie is in danger but has the chance to sate its hunger, it must
make a Weakness roll resisted by its own Nerve roll. If the Nerve roll
wins, the zombie will take steps to preserve its own life. If the
Weakness wins, it will eat. Skills: None Armor Rating: 0Damage Bonus: +1 Claws/TeethHP: 11Yum Yums: 0Zombie DiseaseThere
are two forms of “zombie virus,” both of which are usually possessed by
non-magical living dead. These zombies have a “Contagious” Gimmick with
a Number between 8 and 15 (depending on how easily the infection
spreads). Whenever a zombie claws or bites a victim, the victim must
make a Body roll against the zombie’s Gimmick roll, with failure
indicating that the victim has been infected.

The
first type only affects a person who dies with the “poison” in his or
her system. The amount of damage from the zombie attack determines the
number of days that the toxin remains active. If the victim dies before
the infection leaves his system, he becomes a zombie.

The
more deadly type of zombie infection actually kills the victim. When a
character contracts this type of zombie disease, the GM should record
the zombie’s Gimmick roll. Every hour, the infected character must make a
Body roll against this number, with failure resulting in damage equal
to the difference.

The
amount of time between death and resurrection is up to the GM based on
what would be most dramatically appropriate in the current situation. ZombisZombis
have their normal stats, but have an effective Nerve of 3 while under
mind control. In addition, most victims of the zombie ritual suffer
brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. For every hour the character is
buried, he must make a Body roll or lose 1 point of Brain. Once the
spell is broken, Nerve points return at the rate of 1 per week. Lost
Brain points typically can not be regained. The Re-AnimatedThe
Re-Animated have the same stats as at the time of death, though those
who died violently may lose Body points and pick up a “Terrifying
Appearance” Weakness due to the injuries that caused death. In addition,
most people who are re-animated come back “wrong” in some way, usually
represented by a Weakness such as “homicidal.”